I've wondered about Rodin's famous sculpture. Is he engaged in deep thought or sitting around wasting time? And why isn't he wearing pants? I ask the same of myself. Here we comment on well, mostly politics. Or we may just sit! If you like it, tell a friend. If not, tell us, but please read the GROUND RULES before you do.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Still feeling that ol' Democrat disgust. I would especially like to take the junior senators from Illinois and New York out behind the woodshed. Way to triangulate until the last possible minute and not vote until the cause was lost, guys. Keep up the good work.

I just don't get it. You have a president who is less popular than open sores, his administration is reeling from the Scandal du Jour, and then he looks absolutely CRACKERS at his press conference, complete with bird poop--and the Democrats are terified of him.

Top U.S. commanders and diplomats in Iraq are completing a far-reaching campaign plan for a new U.S. strategy

Hey, look, a new strategy! it will help us win! Winning is good, especially the extra win-ny kind!

Amazing. After four years of botched nation-building and an occupation that makes even the most pro-western Iraqi hate us, they come up with a new strategy, one that unfortunately does not involve--LEAVING.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

I'm (ashamed to be) a Democrat.The cave on Iraq funding is so humiliating. The Democratic Congress was elected to stop the madness, and they cave in front of Chimpy's veto pen.Hey Dems, here's a thought--You've sent hima bill, and he pulled out the veto crayon. ALL the leverage is YOURS. If NOTHING happens, the war funding stops. You had every advantage and you pissed it away. Disgusting.

It is being reported in conflicting fashion in several places (DailyKos, TalkingPointsMemo, Fox) that an agreement has been reached with the White House on Iraq war funding and that the funding would be provided without timetables, benchmarks or other caveats which could allegedly "hamper" the President's style.

As someone who went out in the last election cycle and not only contributed significantly for the first time in his life but also phone banked and canvassed, it would be a tremendous disappointment and a rebuke of all the time, effort and financial commitment of everyone who helped bring the Democratic Party to power in November.

While I realize that negotiations are "on-going" with the White House, despite the heat that members of the caucus may be feeling, it is important that we continue to do what the majority of Americans have called for in *every* poll and that is to bring the troops home and to not give the President a blank check with no restrictions or conditions.

No matter how many people continue to be paraded before the podium and the war keeps being packaged as a, "No, really, THIS time it will work;" the fact is that the Administration has lost all credibility and, further, the right to unquestioned fealty in their decision making process.

Do not concede, do not waver, do not yield. Bring our men and women home soon to rest, recover and reconstitute our fighting forces to fight the "Global War on Terror," not play arbiters between factions linked to unstoppable bloodshed.

In much the fashion that contributor Schmidlap put in his message to his guy, I don't think that we can let our elected representatives who were swept to power on a platform that includes doing something different about the war, think that giving der Chimpenfuehrer everything he wants is a "compromise". Somebody once defined compromise (or perhaps it was 'negotiation') as neither party getting everything they want but both parties being satisfied.

Unfortunately for The Decider, his definition of compromise is getting everything he wants and screw everybody else. Well, it is high time that Congress ceases to be the pet of the Executive Branch and that if he gets a bill that gives him all of his money with those "strings" that he threatens to veto, every radio, television, newspaper, billboard and MP3 player should ring with the very clear point that it is THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WHO IS PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE TROOPS AND NOT THE CONGRESS.

Monday, May 21, 2007

In November 1976, at the ATO house in Greencastle, Indiana, Tom Garrison invited me and my new girlfriend (I wonder what ever happened to her? She was really cute. By the way, selfless shilling, you may wish us a happy 25th next Tuesday) to watch the election returns, where the Georgia governor defeated the incumbent president.30-plus years later, that Georgia governor said that "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history."Please tell me where he was wrong.

I took my 13-year old for one of his regularly-scheduled cheap haircuts. In the line in front of me was a young man, military cut and lean and mean. he was talking things military with his barber, and then he turned around. Immediately, he said "Professor Peter!" I hesitated at first because (as Doc would know, I was a humble instructor, not a "professor") and I did not recognize this lean taut young man. Then I saw and recognized the face--he was a really bright student who I taught at the local community college and yes, I inspired him to go into teaching (that's my one!). I thought I had demoralized him when I saw him in another part-time job when I said I'd given up teaching for the money but he remembered me and said he had given up his teaching job for an officer's commission in the Army--and Iraq. God bless you. I would question his judgment (as I would for looking up to me in the first place!) for doing so, but please return safely.

So tomorrow morning I'm off for a week or so in sunny middle of frackin' nowhere New Mexico. City of Rocks State Park, to be exact. One might realistically ask why I'll be headed there, to sleep in a tent, try to avoid rattlesnakes and scorpions, stay up til 2 or 3 every night, miss mrsdrmagoo terribly, and try to demonstrate some semblance of sanity. The answer, of course - work! We've organized a travel course on Astrophotography, and this is one of the darkest public sites in the country. There will be 5 professors (two of whom are teaching the course, two of us who are doing a little teaching, but are mostly learning how to do this stuff and to assist, and one who is coming along because he can) and 17 students. We'll be doing all sorts of late-night activities - well, the sort that involves a camera, a telescope, a computer, and looking up - and a bunch during the day - trips to historic towns, petroglyph sites, the VLA (where we can stand in the footsteps of Jodie Foster - and many brilliant scientists), and assorted natural wonders. Have fun whilst I'm gone, and don't burn down any important buildings (unless you can trap certain politicians).

Sunday, May 20, 2007

When will we admit that, if and when we abandon Iraq, we are still at war? How foolish to alert the enemy of our withdrawal when we are in a lifetime struggle against a foe that will never go away. We have got to toe the mark and convince other nations that if America loses, they are goners too.

We now struggle alone.

The threat of global dominance requires global resistance, not just one nation fighting Goliath. David slew the giant with help from his God. America seems to have forgotten our past, when we honored our creator. Many a battle is fought and won on one's knees.

Elizabeth PearsonElmhurst

Wow, this one is a stunner First of all, Lizzie, we are not "AT WAR." The "war" ended about 20 days after it began. Now we are just slogging through a botched occupation that will end badly, sooner or later. Global dominance? Wild-eyed fanatics in caves with box ciutters and backpack bombs. Please, be serious. I can show you global dominance if you want. Pull out your map and take a long look at that REALLY big country called China.

And God? Yeah, I'm sure the supreme being, creator of the universe has a vested interest in the outcome of the misguided imperial delusions of a drunken failure with daddy issues. Lizzy, please, on your way back to Elmhurst,